Cup dispenser



2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 4

S. N. HOPE CUP DISPENSER Filed May 18, 1940 Feb. 17, 1942.

/NVENTOR SAMUEL HOPE v/\/7`OR/\/EY S. N. HOPE CUP DISPENSER Feb. 17, 1942.

Filed May 18, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 02M@ OON H .R Nm /MT IM A Pianeti Feb. 11, 1942 CUP DISPENSER Samuel N. Hope, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Griilitli-Hope Company, West Allis, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 18, 1940, Serial No. 335,962 14 Claims. (Cl. 3l2-43) The present invention relates to article dispensers and more particularly to devices for dispensing paper cups and the like, and has for an obiect to provide a dispenser which is of simple, durable and relatively inexpensive construction and which will adequately protect the articles while permitting their individual withdrawal in a convenient manner.

Another object is to provide a dispenser in which the articles are smoothly and reliably urged to dispensing position, preferably in an upward direction. A further object is to provide a dispenser which can be easily loaded and which has a relatively large capacity for a given space.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a cup dispenser constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view;

Fig. 3 is va sectional elevation taken generally along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken generally along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, parts being omitted, and open positions of cover members of the device being indicated in dotted lines Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, the cover members of the dispenser being omitted;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line V6 6 of Fig. 1, the cups being omitted;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 1-1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the lower portion of the dispenser showing a casing member in open position and a cup follower lin retracted position to permit loading of the dispenser;

Fig. 9 is a detail elevation taken generally along the line 9-9 of Fig. 2, a cover member being shown in raised or open position and interior parts of the dispenser being omitted, and

Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the cup follower.

In these drawings, l5 designates an elongated casing or container of generally tubular shape for housing or enclosing therein a succession or stack of articles to be dispensed, such as nested paper cups I6. 'I'he container comprises a pair of complementary casing members Il and II of troughshaped cross-section and preferably formed of drawn sheet metal parts. The casing members have respective bottom or end walls I9 and 20 connected by a. hinge 2|, the leaves of which are riveted, spot welded or otherwise secured to the preferably mounted in a vertical position and is provided with suitable means, hereinafter described, for feeding the cups in an upward direction. A wedge plate 22 is fastened to the rear casing member Il, as by spot welding, and is wedgingly engageable in a mounting bracket 23 secured to any suitable support, such as a water cooler.

The opposite-side walls of the rear casing member Il are substantially parallel and are bent to form inwardly facing guideways or-channels 2'4 for a cup follower 25, hereinafter more fully described. These side walls preferably include sheet metal strips 26 of angular cross-section, the wide sides of which are spot welded or otherwise secured to the inner faces of the edge portions of the rear casing member l1. The opposite side walls of the front casing member i8 are adapted to lap the sides of the rear casing member when these casing members are in their closed position, as best seen in Figs. 6 and 7.

A tubular throat member 21 of octagonal crossvsection is mounted at the upper end of the casing and is provided with downwardly projecting supporting arms 28 at opposite sides riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the sides of the rear casing member I1. The upper edge of the throat member is preferably provided with opposite front and rear notches 29'. The inverted cups pass upwardly through the throat member and the uppermost cup is yieldingly restrained against movement, as by means of four circumferentially spaced embossments 30 formed on the upper edge portion of the throat member adjacent to the upper corners of the notches 29, these embossments being engageable with the resilient rim portions of the cups. The cups are also restrained to some extent by a pair of complementary crowned cover members 3| of generally semi-circular shape which are pivotally secured to the opposite sides of the upper edge portion of the rear casing member I'I by hinges 32, these cover members being urged downwardly to a horizontal closed position by torsion springs 33 on the hinges. The hinge axes are substantially parallel and extend transversely of the casing and of the direction of cup and retaining the front casing member I8 in its closed position. Rubber bumpers 34, Figs. 3 and 9, are secured to the inner faces of the cover inner faces of these walls. The container Ii is member by spot welded sheet metal clips 35 and are engageable with the upper edges of the casing members. The free edge portions of the cover members 3| present opposed semi-circular notches 36,. the edges of which are adapted to fit about and bear against the sloping side walls of the uppermost cup. The opposed notches in the cover members define an aperture for the outward passage of the foremost cup, and are spaced outwardly in the direction of cup withdrawal from the plane of the hinge axes of the cover members so that a slight outward pivotal movement of the cover members will enlarge the aperture to permit passage of the rim portion of the cup.

The cup follower 25 comprises an inverted shouldered cup-shaped member 31 on which the lowermost cup ts for support and confinement against lateral displacement. The bottom portion of the follower skirt is cut away at opposite sides to receive therein a cross member 38, the opposite ends of which are slidable in the container channels 24. The follower and cross member are preferably formed of sheet metal parts bent to shape and spot welded together. The cross member 38 comprises a plate member having a downwardly projecting lip 39 at its front portion and downturned end flanges which have central lvertical channels 48 to provide clearance for the throat member arms 28. The follower is urged upwardly by a spirally coiled clock spring 4|, the outer end of which is riveted or otherwise secured at 42 to the upper edge portion of the casing member I1 and the free coiled end of which slidably bears on the cross plate and front lip 39 of the follower cross member 38. The rear edge of the follower skirt has a downwardly opening notch 43 to provide clearance for the spring, the parallel side edges of the notch limiting lateral shifting of the spring. The r*spring tends to roll up under its spring action and thus elevates the follower as the cups are progressively withdrawn from the casing. The feeding pressure at the 'throat member 21 is approximately uniform throughout the range of travel of the follower. A feeding spring of this construction has a relatively long effective travel, is quiet in operation, requires but little space, and is inexpensive to manufacture. As seen in Fig. 8, the follower may come fairly close to the lower end of the casing.

In order to limit the opening movement of the front casing member the hinge leaf of this member has secured thereto a plate 44 which is provided with a pair of upstanding anges 45 spaced on opposite sides of the central vertical plane of the casing and terminating at their rear ends in outwardly bent stop hooks 46. These hooks are engageable with upstanding stop arms or abutments 41 formed on a plate 48 secured to the hinge leaf of the rear casing member. The stop arms 41 are also preferably provided with inturned lugs 41' at their upper ends to confine the hooks when the front casing member is opened. The anges 45 are spaced to provide clearance for the lower end of the feeding spring 4| when the follower is in fully retracted position.

Also secured to the hinge leaf of the front casing member is a plate 49 which at its front is provided with an upstanding resilient latch nger 50 having a forwardly projecting latch hook at itsupper end. The follower skirt has an opening 52 at its front portion to form at its lower edge an abutment engageable by the latch hook, as seen in Fig. 8. The lower edge of the front portion of the follower skirt has a forwardly sloping part 53 to form a cam surface engageable by the hooked latch nger. The lip 39 behind the opening 52 prevents the coiled portion of the spring 4| from interfering with the latching operation.

When it is desired to load the dispenser the hinged cover members 3| are momentarily lifted a suiiicient distance to release the upper edge of the front casing member, whereupon this casing member is swimg forwardly to the angular open position seen in Fig. 8. The follower 25 is then pushed downwardly along the guideways or channels 24 of the container against the pressure of the feeding spring 4| and into latching engagement with the resilient latch finger 50, which is then in latching position, thus retaining the follower in its lowermost position. A stack of inverted cups is then placed on the follower, whereupon the front casing member is swung closed. The closing movement of the front casing member releases the latch finger 5U from the follower, and the feeding spring 4| thereupon lifts the stack of cups until the rim portion of the uppermost cup engages the retaining embossments 30 of the throat member 21. The hinged cover members 3| are then momentarily lifted a suicient distance to permit movement of the front casing member to its fully closed position, and the dispenser is then ready for use. The front casing member will be retained in its closed position by the cover members and also by its frictional engagement with the rear casing member.

In some instances it is possible to load the dispenser oy inserting a stack of inverted cups downwardly through the throat member, but it is more convenient and expeditious to effect lateral loading of the device, as above described.

When a cup is desired from the loaded dispenser, the protruding uppermost cup is grasped by the fingers and pulled upwardly, releasing it from the retaining embossments 38 of the throat member 21. The stack of cups is simultaneously lifted a short distance by the feeding spring 4| until the rim of the next cup engages the retaining-embossments. During the withdrawal of the uppermost cup the rim portion of the cup lifts the independently hinged cover members 3| a short distance. and after the cup passes the cover members these members snap back to their closed position, their closing movement being cushioned by the rubber bumpers 34. This momentary lifting movement of the cover members is insumcient to release them from their overlapping relation with respect to the upper edge of the front casing member. The cover members normally t closely about the uppermost cup, thus preventing contamination of the cups and entrance of foreign matter into the container, and also laterally supporting the uppermost cup. The cupengaging edges 36 of the closed cover members are spaced some distance above the rim portion of the uppermost cup, thus preventing the cup from being grasped too close to the rim portion and minimizing waste of cups.

The successive convolutions of the coiled portion of the spring 4| are preferably in contact, or are at least in close proximity, thus providing a long effective spring length in a limited space. The coiled portion of the spring has a tendency to spread or expand, but this is prevented or restricted by providing suitable confining or retaining means on the follower. In the present instance, such means is exemplied by the cross plate 38 and its depending front lip 39, the outermost spring convolution bearing at angularly spaced points on these abutments. The front lip 39 not only resists displacement of the coiled portion of the spring toward the front wall of the container, butalso prevents lateral skewlng of the spring.

While the dispenser is here shown to be mounted in a vertical upfeed position, it is also possible `to mount the device in various other positions.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. lIn a dispenser, the combination of a container adapted to receive therein, a succession of articles to be dispensed and having a delivery end toward which the articles are urged, said container comprising a pair of lcomplementary pivotally connected casing members movable relatively apart to permit loading of the container, and shiftably mounted cover means for the delivery end of said container forming a retainer for detachably holding said casing members together.

2. In a dispenser, the combination of a container adapted to receive therein a succession of articles to be dispensed and having a delivery end toward which the articles are urged, said container comprising a pair of complementary pivotally connected casing members movable relatively apart to permit loading of the container, and a plurality of complementary cover members for the delivery end of said container and pivotally mounted on one of said casing members. A

3. In a dispenser, the combination of a container adapted to receive therein a succession of nested cups to be dispensed and having a delivery end toward which said cups are urged closed end foremost, and a plurality of complementary cover members pivotally mounted on said container and normally urged to closed position. said cover members forming a dispensing aperture through which the foremost cup normally projects, and said cover members being outwardly displaceable during the withdrawal of the foremost cup to permit passage of the rim portion ofthe cup.

4. In a dispenser, the combination of a container adaptedto receive therein a succession of articles to be dispensed and'having a delivery end toward which said articles are urged, and a plurality of complementary cover members pivotally mounted on said container and normally urged to closed position, said cover members forming an aperture to pass said articles and tions oi said cover members being normally spaced outwardly from said axes in the direction of article withdrawal.

5. In a dispenser, the combination of a container adapted to receive therein la succession of articles to be dispensed and comprising a pair of pivotally connected casing members movable relatively apart to permit loading of the container, a follower for said articles normally urged in dispensing direction, and guide means for said follower carried by one of said casing members and retaining said follower when said casing members are moved relatively apart.

6. In a. dispenser, the combination of a container adapted to receive therein a succession of articles to be dispensed and having a delivery end toward which the articles are urged, said container comprising pivotally connected complementary casing members movable relatively apart to permit loading of the container, a throat member carried by one of said casing members adjacent to the delivery end of the container for releasably restraining the withdrawal of the foremost article, and complementary cover members pivotally mounted on saidV last-named casing member and engageable 4with the foremost article at a region outwardly of said throat member.

7. In a dispenser, the combination of a container adapted to receive therein a stack of nested cups and having a delivery end toward which the cups are urged, and a plurality of complementary cover members pivotally mounted on said container and normally urged to closed position, said cover members having concave edges adapted to fit about the side walls of the foremost cup, and said cover members being yieldable outwardly upon the withdrawal of the foremost cup.

8. In a dispenser, the combination of a container adapted to receive therein a succession of articles to be dispensed and comprising pivotally connected complementary casing members movable relatively apart to permit loading of the container, said container having a discharge opening, a follower for said articles normally urged in dispensing direction and carried by one of said casing members, a latch member carried by the other of said casing members for releasably retaining said follower in a retracted loading position, and stop meansfor limiting the parting movement of said casing members and for determining the latching position of said latch member.

9. In a dispenser, the combination of a container of generally tubular shape adapted to receive therein a succession of articles to be dispensed and having a delivery end toward which the articles are urged, said container comprising la pair of casing members of trough-shaped cross-section having hingedly connected end walls distant from said delivery end, and said casing members being movable relatively apart to permit loading of the container.

10. In a dispenser, the combination of a container of generally tubular shape adapted to receive therein a succession of articles to be dispensed and having a delivery end toward which the articles are urged, said container comprising a pair of casing members of trough-shaped crosssection having hingedly connected end walls distant from said delivery end. said casing members being movable relatively apart to permit loading of the container, and said end walls carrying interengageable stop abutments limiting the relative opening movement of said casing members.-

11. In a dispenser, the combination of a support adapted to hold a succession of articles to be dispensed, a follower for said articles, an elongated spring member normally urged by its resiliency to a spirally coiled condition and secured at its outer end to said support, the coiled portion of said spring membertending to roll up toward the secured end of said member and engaging said follower to urge said follower in dispensing direction, and means carried by said follower for restricting the expansion of said coiled portion of the spring.

12. In a dispenser, the combination of a support adapted to hold a succession of articles to be dispensed, a follower for said articles, and an elongated spring member normally urged by its resiliency to a spirally coiled condition and secured at its outer end to said support, the coiled portion of said spring member tending to roll up toward the secured end of said member and engaging said follower to urge said follower ,in dispensing direction, the outermost convolution of said coiled portion bearing on said follower at angularly spaced portions of said convolution to restrict expansion of said coiled portion.

13. In a dispenser, the combination of a support adapted to hold a succession of articles to be dispensed, a follower for said articles, and an elongated spring member normally urged by its resiliency to a spirally coiled condition and secured at its outer end to said support, the coiled portion of said spring member tending to roll up toward the secured end of said member and engaging said follower to urge said follower in dispensing direction, said follower having a lateral abutment engageable by said outermost convolu'- tion to prevent displacement thereof laterally of the direction of follower travel.

14. In a dispenser, the combination of a container adapted to receive therein a succession of articles to be dispensed and comprising pivotally connected complementary casing members movable relatively apart to permit loading of the container. a follower for said articles movable along and guided by one of said casing members, and an elongated spring member normally urged by its resiliency to a spirally coiled condition and secured at its outer end to said follower-guiding casing member, the coiled portion of said spring member tending to roll up toward the secured end of said member and engaging said follower to urge said follower in dispensing direct on.

SAMUEL N. HOPE. 

